NYT: What Happened to Broadway’s New Musicals? This Year, They Vanished.
Posted: 6/24/26 at 7:02am
"[Purple Rain] has been overhauling the script and the creative team. The show now has a new director, Saheem Ali (who directed “Buena Vista Social Club” and “Fat Ham” on Broadway, and succeeds Lileana Blain-Cruz), and a new book writer, Peter Duchan (who wrote the book for “Dogfight,” and succeeds Branden Jacobs-Jenkins)."
Fascinating - was this announced prior to this article? Can't find anything.
Updated On: 6/24/26 at 07:02 AM
Posted: 6/24/26 at 7:48am
This article is beyond depressing.
Posted: 6/24/26 at 8:52am
Depressing to say the least.
Broadway is too expensive.
Posted: 6/24/26 at 9:05am
Was Purple Rain's book really so bad that BJJ needed to be replaced? I didn't see the Minneapolis run so genuinely curious. I've always considered BJJ to be a pretty proficient playwright so this surprises me - I've liked pretty much all of his work except Purpose. Perhaps just a mismatch of writer and material?
Posted: 6/24/26 at 9:55am
TheGingerBreadMan said: "WasPurple Rain's book really so bad that BJJ needed to be replaced? I didn't see the Minneapolis run so genuinely curious. I've always considered BJJ to be a pretty proficient playwright so this surprises me - I've liked pretty much all of his work except Purpose. Perhaps just a mismatch of writer and material?"
His book was far from the only thing wrong with the Minneapolis production, but it was definitely a substantial portion of it. It had really ham-fisted expository dialogue, was weirdly inconsistent about what time period the storybwas set in, and made it hard to sympathize with any of the characters. And BJJ is normally so good at exploring complicated family dynamics that it was shocking how shallow that part of the book was.
Posted: 6/24/26 at 11:26am
I know this is a bad take, and I know everything in this article is based in fact, but I'm just SO tired of Michael Paulson. He writes the same gloomy article every six months. (And I know... it's because of the state of the industry... but give me a break...)
Posted: 6/24/26 at 11:51am
And....the 26/27 season will be OVERFLOWING with new musicals (yes a bit of hyperbole, but at least 7-9, if not more)
Posted: 6/24/26 at 12:09pm
ScottK said: "And....the 26/27 season will be OVERFLOWING with new musicals (yes a bit of hyperbole, but at least 7-9, if not more)"
There are already 4 with confirmed venues as of now, and the fiscal season only just started a few weeks ago.
It won’t be an easy fix, but many folx feel like the economics behind these tuners need to change in some way— too risky for producers as too expensive for audiences.
Posted: 6/24/26 at 12:22pm
I've said it before and I'll say it again. The outlier was 14-15 new musicals a year. That was unsustainable and never going to continue. Yes, 6 was low last season but 7-10, which this season will probably end up being, is the norm for most of the years since the mid 90s swoon.
Posted: 6/24/26 at 4:10pm
KevinKlawitter said: "TheGingerBreadMan said: "WasPurple Rain's book really so bad that BJJ needed to be replaced? I didn't see the Minneapolis run so genuinely curious. I've always considered BJJ to be a pretty proficient playwright so this surprises me - I've liked pretty much all of his work except Purpose. Perhaps just a mismatch of writer and material?"
His book was far from the only thing wrong with the Minneapolis production, but it was definitely a substantial portion of it. It had really ham-fisted expository dialogue, was weirdly inconsistent about what time period the storybwas set in, and made it hard to sympathize with any of the characters. And BJJ is normally so good at exploring complicated family dynamics that it was shocking how shallow that part of the book was."
They really needed to throw everything out from the Minneapolis run. The sets, costumes, dialogue, and orchestrations all felt like they were working toward completely different goals. That’s especially surprising given how long it had already been delayed—you’d think the technical elements would have achieved some cohesion by that point. The young actor playing Prince had incredible stage presence when singing, but the acting scenes really fell flat. Rachel Webb as Apollonia and Jared Howelton as Morris were easily the standouts, and I hope they stay involved.
What they need to decide is whether they’re making Purple Rain: The Movie Musical or Purple Rain: The Prince Musical, because it never committed to either. The songs felt poorly placed, and while people love Purple Rain the film, it hasn’t aged particularly well; it has a kind of Carousel-esque hurdle that’s difficult to overcome.
More than anything, this show could work and be a lot of fun. I do think it needs another out-of-town tryout (as most shows do), but perhaps Minneapolis isn’t the right place for it. The audience there is too close to the material and brings a different perspective; you get authenticity, but not necessarily the kind of feedback you need when people are so attached to a single, familiar version.
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